[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6578631,"mediaKeyId","3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467","parentId",3153529,"title","Houston expands support for veteran-owned businesses; city to add veteran-owned certifications","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2200000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467&start=2200&end=2200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467/thumbnail_2200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6578631/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Houston-expands-support-for-veteran-owned-businesses-city-to-add-veteran-owned-certifications","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578631-d2f2c73131fbbc64466cc1e4836747cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151833&Signature=cse8Y8n1EZ~wGbiRZZ7tDEI~c3an8eHRKWVhHe75sdvs4fbRjIB9BDj6SThoc3QS4-I0oGAb~2~NYWhyNkMBSNhxO4kKnS8ypa~1iOtXWKdA3yYiE0Pw1s1eA~HJJ79wuHPFlrwU2alTZhUoo0hDBmZjkTdIv~VycLd3ntXCLFbaJwcNkHd052deUDbBpoS9VDeOxfj4onpfBkFMJQ9xccmgaqRpD2xgekmOO4z7HrVX~Mu80pW~fLHjDP2adz9UjVdF5NlvQ2WT1afYGq3z3qHkn3OEI2KyJbRGdI-yihVmhtWNr8OWNY1VZra1TV62AvWMNTon9J7uYIY~k209GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-04-29T00:00:00Z","article","City officials and veteran-business advocates said the City of Houston will expand formal recognition and certification for veteran-owned firms and that local groups are pressing to increase government contracting opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs.

The Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) announced plans at the town hall to add a veteran-owned small business enterprise certification and a disabled-veteran owned-business certification to the city’s supplier-certification suite. The OBO representative said the new certifications will be added “this year,” and that the office provides one-on-one advising on licensing, permitting and contracting for small businesses.

Dave Weaver, president of the Houston Regional Veterans Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber has worked with city partners and federal studies to boost Houston’s rank for veteran-business support and that the chamber printed a second veterans-business buyer’s guide to connect veteran-owned firms with procurement opportunities. Weaver said the chamber helped the Office of Business Opportunity and other partners push veteran-focused certification and procurement efforts and noted ongoing state-level legislation to ease licensing transfer and expand certification recognition.

Participants urged city agencies and contracting officers to be intentional about using veteran-owned suppliers and to include veteran-business goals in contracting outreach. Local advocates said platforms and directories should be publicized more broadly and that veteran-owned firms should be actively recruited for city and airport contracts.

Supporters also mentioned training and licensing reforms to reduce barriers for service-member spouses and transitioning veterans seeking licensed professions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Veteran's Town Hall - Apr 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City officials and business groups said the Office of Business Opportunity will add a veteran-owned small-business certification and that the Houston Regional Veterans Chamber is pushing to increase veteran-business visibility and procurement opportunities.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6578635,"Houston departments and Metro promote veteran hiring, SkillBridge internships and transit benefits",772,701000,1473000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467&start=701&end=1473","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467/thumbnail_701000.jpg","/articles/6578635/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Houston-departments-and-Metro-promote-veteran-hiring-SkillBridge-internships-and-transit-benefits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578635-d8407f175b5455f255ec51cfb626f4fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151834&Signature=Atw8FUzXCUs6uH8Q-zJZ1h1jQ1kNehBFzK2D866WvocflWSkDO-vj0TnV6RFwlAskB4D~CLJ9cFshLVTV79qDGNAjBVYfPYbVIu3xVFh4V2aMLK6Lv6YEWeViHqCGPlcR~cq1aWikvCFKaSiHML~h~Jnv92rpe~4iTtXFAbDAu6rivoYjz98cvKnX2Z3tOoS5iyoKixlqFofu3wJ4kCVuiAi8Ca1JzyvAoxPZTh9jMWcZASEESBiCsAJA~SmVMByMl~XCbAfECQYMwcBokQgg28Nd-wNZScCuML5m87DNDribYDLwnZtcP2SHep-xIOjZe0u3~IcrL17nd97wInBGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City departments and the Houston Airport System used a veterans town hall to highlight hiring pathways for veterans and to encourage those leaving military service to apply for city jobs.

Mohammed Kuchek, assistant chief with the Houston Fire Department, explained the department’s use of DD Form 214 and the SkillBridge program, which can provide up to 180 days of transition internships where service members are placed as city interns while still employed by the military. Kuchek said participants commonly receive EMT training during the SkillBridge placement and may receive a conditional job offer at the end of their military service.

Houston Police Department Chief Noah Diaz described active recruitment of service members and noted that the department employs roughly 5,300 officers, with many veterans among its ranks. Diaz said HPD conducts outreach to military installations and recruits service members because “they’re quality people that are already put together.”

Tim Jonik, director of government relations for the Houston Airport System, listed veteran-friendly services at city airports including USO facilities and a disabled-veteran/specialty-plate parking program that allows five consecutive days of free covered-garage parking or 60 consecutive days at remote lots for qualifying plates. Jonik said those programs served about 57,000 veterans in the previous year and that the airport is managing parking supply while several garages are offline for terminal redevelopment.

Speakers urged veterans to use veteran-specific hiring channels and to contact department liaisons for transition assistance. Kuchek also noted the department’s policy to facilitate reserve and National Guard service during employment and to provide limited paid leave for reserve duties.

Panelists encouraged SkillBridge participants and other transitioning service members to pursue conditional job offers, use veterans’ preference documents such as DD 214, and connect with department recruiters and the city’s Office of Business Opportunity for contracting and procurement opportunities.","Representatives from the Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department and Houston Airport System described veteran recruitment paths — including the military SkillBridge internship program, reserve-friendly policies and transit/parking benefits — and urged veterans to apply for civil-service openings.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6578639,"At veterans town hall, Houston VA and veterans raise concerns about dental care, claims and campus parking",2125,806000,2931000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467&start=806&end=2931","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467/thumbnail_806000.jpg","/articles/6578639/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/At-veterans-town-hall-Houston-VA-and-veterans-raise-concerns-about-dental-care-claims-and-campus-parking","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578639-8919c50a5f667b53f3a5b3803371e041/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151834&Signature=n8XOpMVg2~~IsWim-L~ZxAhpNklhqCpDaVbOLnUg~JZL4cciZLxEL6D6QUe4EKuWymXoPnj9G6OSXkSoSxPqrsCmnHAF5~E1l9pVyj-Bnpwfw-r0k-r7irHYjAqqP5TGPMxlMzid4lRWjqb7waQYAV89aC4OK7gX5EJNodn68AOoSOuL17uk6znIGyQbOYpZ1FlzF8M7kl15oqxiBLvSGsq9-PjqROZsnTiptJnGsiJ-88a9wJDXMVHOK8NR3he6Cv8H5kM-hcR9eOz62fojxaiF3NkdZjYRAgUBO4qij~6rpc6k8l7i6UClP8~MG6iPMO~mzI~NcueSsTZbU7E9ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Veterans at a City of Houston veterans town hall urged the VA and city officials to address access problems including slow dental appointments, stressful compensation-and-pension (C&P) notifications and parking shortages at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

At the meeting, a veteran speaker, Jesse Brown, told VA staff that dental services were “the slowest department” he encountered and asked whether more outpatient dental appointments could be authorized at community clinics. Brown said his outpatient-clinic experiences were otherwise positive, but called dental waits “the longest wait for any appointment time.”

Quindola Crowley, who represented the Houston VA health care system at the town hall, acknowledged dental needs and said dental services are “on our list to do” and that the VA was pursuing funding and discussions with the dental chief to expand outpatient capacity and to contract community providers where appropriate. Crowley offered to follow up with veterans who provided contact information so VA veterans-experience staff could assist with benefits or appeals.

A ministry volunteer who assists veterans described repeated C&P appointment notices for a veteran with a recent total-and-permanent disability rating. Crowley and the VA’s veteran-experience staff said they would take the veteran’s name and work with the Veterans Benefits Administration and the VA’s veteran-experience officer, Brent Krake, to resolve the specific case.

On parking, VA staff said campus parking is free but constrained by construction and growing patient volume. Crowley said the medical center has increased valet operations, tightened employee parking and is using nearby hotel allocations and van-pools to relieve congestion. “If you get there for an appointment and can’t find parking, I encourage you to swing by that valet,” she said, noting the service has recently improved pickup times.

VA staff and veterans repeatedly urged attendees to use veteran advocates and certified service officers to navigate benefits and appointments. The VA’s outreach and patient-advocate roles — including the veteran-experience officer — were described as the first follow-up step for veterans who need one-on-one assistance with claims or appointment problems.

Speakers requested continued attention to dental capacity, faster C&P resolution for veterans with urgent needs, and operational fixes at the VA to improve access to care and parking.","Veterans and advocates at a Houston town hall pressed the VA and city officials on wait times for dental care, follow-up on compensation claims and parking access at the VA medical center; VA staff said dental capacity is on their radar and valet/operational changes are reducing waits.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6578643,"Houston officials and service providers say housing is the top priority for area veterans",4398,1570000,5968000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467&start=1570&end=5968","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3153529-6776e714b535a56320e60df56f45d467/thumbnail_1570000.jpg","/articles/6578643/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Houston-officials-and-service-providers-say-housing-is-the-top-priority-for-area-veterans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578643-aaa2243e162fe3d7da8f4fd2131fdc87/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151834&Signature=CnWP4nGyZw5j72I~Kf8nHQ~b3RveiTgq~LaIH1k4JW93jWj3lwmuosMDSJoQWiyddvvO5RFjeL7J8wBd21T8e6tyqYT6bYWm~T~qlBhmrrJoivR-IFYKBrjJfJ1LWPGv1SPyZ-aikqlUS8HpTvJsPI5JL6QD1fi-4Cl-~-aQ8sXVQ8N6HiguM0~YoSJYw010N6H22E6fB63oupy4S4eizicUEpWAx72uvIJznJkAKa43hTOKkSsa3dbaLsTdBUcTZrlf9wMGZOJejPaVUOYzSTf4MQCApoPob9TJQqmlJVN4LIkjTioZxZ2GWg1YZzh-nT5GAmqe-fkCx~E1AU-KiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Houston and Harris County officials, veterans-service providers and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center told attendees at a May veterans town hall that housing remains the single most urgent need for local veterans.

Speakers cited the homelessness point-in-time data, limits in voucher allocations and local programs intended to speed veterans into stable housing.

At the town hall, Angel Garment, manager of the homeless response system at the Coalition for the Homeless, said the 2024 point-in-time count recorded 213 homeless veterans in the Houston area and that about 10 percent of those met the federal definition of chronically homeless. Garment noted the point-in-time count measures a single night and “may not be exact,” but said the figure is the basis for planning the homeless response system.

Rakesha Thomas, assistant director for special programs administration at the Houston Housing Authority, said the authority currently holds 1,172 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers. “That allocation is not nearly enough,” she said, and urged veterans in need to work with the VA for referrals.

City officials outlined local programs intended to reduce veteran homelessness. Nick Abels, coordinator of homeless initiatives in the City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, highlighted long-term reductions in veterans experiencing homelessness and described the city’s goal of “complete eradication of street homelessness,” a target that city staff called ambitious but central to planning. Cedric Lassagne, assistant director in Housing and Community Development, described homebuying and repair programs that can include up to $125,000 in down-payment assistance for eligible applicants.

Dave Lewis, executive director of Harris County Veterans Services, described three core service lines in his office — claims and benefits, suicide prevention and reentry services for justice-involved veterans — and noted the county’s recent investment in staff: “We’re 27 people strong now,” he said, and the office operates a VA-funded suicide-prevention team that helps with outreach and crisis response.

Speakers and elected officials also discussed coordination among local partners. The Coalition for the Homeless manages coordinated entry and the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) used to target housing and supportive services, while county and city agencies link veterans to claims assistance, emergency financial help and longer-term reentry or treatment resources.

Several speakers, including Councilman Willie Davis and Dr. Lashandra Jones of the mayor’s veteran affairs office, urged attendees to take part in outreach and to raise the issue with elected officials. City and county staff said housing — getting people sheltered and moved quickly into vouchers or subsidized units — is the top immediate need, followed by food security and mental-health services.

Officials encouraged veterans and community organizations to use existing referral portals and to contact local service providers for help with applications, claims and emergency assistance.","At a Houston veterans town hall, city and county officials, the VA and homeless-service providers said housing — including vouchers and rapid rehousing — is the most urgent need for veterans; speakers cited recent counts, limited VASH allocations and city programs that aim to expand housing access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Houston expands support for veteran-owned businesses; city to add veteran-owned certifications

Houston departments and Metro promote veteran hiring, SkillBridge internships and transit benefits

At veterans town hall, Houston VA and veterans raise concerns about dental care, claims and campus parking

Houston officials and service providers say housing is the top priority for area veterans